SEXTRA CREDIT

L.A. schools chief backs sex-abuse audit

'Parents need to know that their children are safe'

(LATIMES) — L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy said Monday he would support a state audit of the school system’s handling of child sexual-abuse cases.

Assemblyman Ricardo Lara (D-South Gate) is planning to push this week for the audit.

“The district supports any audit from government agencies that seeks to strengthen laws to protect children,” said Deasy in a statement. “Parents need to know that their children are safe in school.”

The audit request is the latest fallout from the case of former Miramonte Elementary School teacher Mark Berndt, who has pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of lewd conduct against students. He is accused of spoon-feeding his semen to blindfolded students as part of what he allegedly described as a tasting game.